σ-Organoniobium Compounds with [NbR4]− and NbR4 Stoichiometries

Gold-Catalysed Rearrangement of Unconventional Cyclopropane-Tethered 1,5-Enynes

The synthesis of particular cyclopropane-tethered 1,5-enynes, namely 6-alkynyl-4-alkylidenebicyclo[3.1.0]hex-2-enes, enabled the discovery of an unprecedented gold-catalyzed rearrangment to indenes. A computational study of the mechanism of this profund skeleton rearrangement is...

Coordination Compounds of Niobium(IV) Oxide Dihalides Including the Synthesis and the Crystallographic Characterization of NHC Complexes

The 1:1 molar reactions of NbOX3 with SnBu3H, in toluene at 0 °C in the presence of oxygen/nitrogen donors, resulted in the formation of NbOX2L2 (X = Cl, L2 = dme, 2a; X = Br, L2 = dme, 2b; X = Cl, L = thf, 2c; X = Cl, L = NCMe, 2d; dme = 1,2-dimethoxyethane, thf = tetrahydrofuran), in good yields. The 1:2 reactions of freshly prepared 2d and 2b with the bulky NHC ligands 1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene, Imes, and 1,3-bis(2,6-dimethylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene, Ixyl, respectively, afforded the complexes NbOCl2(Imes)2, 3, and NbOBr2(Ixyl)2, 4, in 50-60% yields. The reactions of 2b with NaOR, in tetrahydrofuran, gave NbOCl(OR) (R = Ph, 5; R = Me, 6) in about 60% yields. All the products were characterized by analytical and spectroscopic techniques; moreover DFT calculations were carried out in order to shed light on synthetic and structural features. Compounds 3 and 4, whose molecular structures have been ascertained by X-ray diffraction, represent very rare examples of crystallographically characterized niobium-NHC systems.

Quantifying the Electron Donor and Acceptor Abilities of the Ketimide Ligands in M(N═C(t)Bu2)4 (M = V, Nb, Ta)

Addition of 4 equiv of Li(N═C(t)Bu2) to VCl3 in THF, followed by addition of 0.5 equiv of I2, generates the homoleptic V(IV) ketimide complex, V(N═C(t)Bu2)4 (1), in 42% yield. Similarly, reaction of 4 equiv of Li(N═C(t)Bu2) with NbCl4(THF)2 in THF affords the homoleptic Nb(IV) ketimide complex, Nb(N═C(t)Bu2)4 (2), in 55% yield. Seeking to extend the series to the tantalum congener, a new Ta(IV) starting material, TaCl4(TMEDA) (3), was prepared via reduction of TaCl5 with Et3SiH, followed by addition of TMEDA. Reaction of 3 with 4 equiv of Li(N═C(t)Bu2) in THF results in the isolation of a Ta(V) ketimide complex, Ta(Cl)(N═C(t)Bu2)4 (5), which can be isolated in 32% yield. Reaction of 5 with Tl(OTf) yields Ta(OTf)(N═C(t)Bu2)4 (6) in 44% yield. Subsequent reduction of 6 with Cp*2Co in toluene generates the homoleptic Ta(IV) congener Ta(N═C(t)Bu2)4 (7), although the yields are poor. All three homoleptic group 5 ketimide complexes exhibit squashed tetrahedral geometries in the solid state, as determined by X-ray crystallography. This geometry leads to a d(x(2)-y(2))(1) ((2)B1 in D(2d)) ground state, as supported by DFT calculations. EPR spectroscopic analysis of 1 and 2, performed at X- and Q-band frequencies (∼9 and 35 GHz, respectively), further supports the (2)B1 ground-state assignment, whereas comparison of 1, 2, and 7 with related group 5 tetra(aryl), tetra(amido), and tetra(alkoxo) complexes shows a higher M-L covalency in the ketimide-metal interaction. In addition, a ligand field analysis of 1 and 2 demonstrates that the ketimide ligand is both a strong π-donor and strong π-acceptor, an unusual combination found in very few organometallic ligands.